Wherever you go, nature seems never-ending. Dreamlike landscapes with a gigantic mix of huge lava fields, beaches with black sand, breathtaking mountain chains and countless waterfalls – Iceland is incredibly beautiful. 

Even though the average climate is rather mild, the weather can be extremely harsh for short periods in winter. No wonder many famous directors choose to film here – Iceland offers countless opportunities for dramatic film sets. It feels like you can sense the forces of nature. We were working at minus 15 degrees, it felt like minus 30, because the strong ice wind goes through your bones and I could hardly hold the camera still.

Around 80,000 Icelandic horses live here in this climate – a species that has evolved to be very robust and weather-resistant. They develop a very thick winter coat, which enables them to spend the winter outside in these conditions. 

It is fascinating to see a herd of around 50 animals living completely free outside. The animals are busy grazing for up to 16 hours by scraping their food free on pastureland under a thick blanket of snow. The horses are not domesticated, they don’t even wear horseshoes. They react curiously to me – but then also shyly.

In January, the day only has 5 hours of sunshine, which doesn’t exactly make our work any easier. It is usually hazy all day long. The cold, damp air under a low cloud cover alternately bathes the landscape in a dramatic gray or a pastel, dreamy light blue – both captivate my perception. It is precisely this mood that I wanted to capture in my portrait of an Icelandic horse. I choose my beloved 50 millimeter lens. I walk around the huge snow-covered pasture, crouching down on the ground again and again, hungrily waiting for that one brief moment. As always, I wish for a face-to-face portrait. I want it to come straight towards me. Thank you for this wonderful moment.